Hammurabi’s Code of Justice Have you ever heard the expression, treat others how you want to be treated? Well that's what Hammurabi’s code is all about. Babylonia was ruled by king Hammurabi for 42 years in 1754 BCE. In those years Hammurabi made a set of 282 laws called Hammurabi’s code to create justice and the laws were placed on a steele. Hammurabi's code was just because his purpose was to protect the weak, he made laws about property to protect your house and laws to punish people if they injure you.
In 1750 BCE,Mesopotamians of Babylon faced a land of harsh and dry years or a sudden flood and the code of King Hammurabi. Justice is the process of using laws to fairly judge and punish crimes and criminals. Hammurabi 's code is not just. They grew up to die at an average age of 30 years, death was an everyday problem especially when King Hammurabi started his rule. He expanded his empire of Babylon.
The code of Hammurabi was based on an ideal justice, which include “an-eye-for-an-eye” principal, where punishments were carried out based on the type of crimes committed. According to the book, the code punished fraudulent prosecutions by imposing death penalty. It also relied on “nature-decided justice” where the accused person is being leaped into the river to decide their faith; if they sink they are guilty and if they float they are innocent. According to some code provided in the article, it is clear that there were gender base discrimination; social status discrimination and men had more power than women in the society.
What’s so important about the Law Code of Hammurabi? Why does it hold so much value? What has it done in today’s modern day society? I find it to be one of those things that helped better this world. Providing an organized set of laws, it helped structure human civilization.
One of the most influential codifications of law in ancient history, the text provides people with a concrete example of the expanding influence of centralized government on the personal and professional lives of the general population. It also gives people a clear sense of the ways ancient Babylonians invested godly authority in their worldly
King Hammurabi created a set of 282 laws, thousands of years ago in a city called Babylonia to give peace. I think Hammurabi’s Code wasn’t just because it hurt the families, it’s punishment for property was to harsh and unfair to other people, and it wasn’t fair to personal injury. First of all, Hammurabi’s Code hurt the family. For example, Document C mentioned in Law 129 that if a women cheated on another man they shall be bined and thrown into the ocean. Also, in Document C it mentioned in Law 195 that if a son struck his father his hands shall be cut of.
In Erich Fromm’s “Disobedience As A Psychological And Moral Problem,” Fromm argues that most people don’t always obey their bosses, spouses, etc. He portrays that people that cannot obey, is a rebel and they feel that if they act out their anger, resentment on other people is the right thing to do; rather than obey and use the power of reason. In chronological order, he lists different examples like Adam & Eve and Prometheus; and how they handled the consequences after they disobeyed. After reading this article, I agree and disagree with the article, from personal experience with disobeying and obeying my bosses. People I have come across in my life state they feel that obeying a superior or spouse means that you are being a slave to what
The Judgments of Hammurabi are a set of laws that were written by a god. The laws were put in place “to promote the welfare of the people, to cause justice to prevail in the land, and so the strong might not oppress the weak.” The Tale of The Eloquent Peasant, depicts how a peasant has been robbed of his goods and how he eloquently appeals to the king for justice to be served. Both articles discuss; the division of a society’s social class, how gods/kings interpret justice and family relationships within the law. The Judgments of Hammurabi laid out the rules for Mesopotamian citizens.
Decrees, via verbal or written, are designed to control behavior and maintain safe and functioning societies. Since Hammurabi authored the first written code of laws, civilizations throughout time continually shepherd their citizens toward a desired behavior. In theory, decrees guide our everyday actions to create an orderly society. Whenever individuals fail to adhere to the rules of society, then punishment is administered based on the violation committed. Rules apply to everyone from the White House to the school house.
Hammurabi's code and the Ten Commandments have similar rules or laws to follow. In Chapter 20, Verse 12, The Ten Commandments say that one should, “Honor your father and your mother, that your days will be prolonged in the land your Lord your God gives you.” This is basically saying that if you respect your parents you shall be rewarded with the Promised land. The same goes for Hammurabi's code. Law 195 says, ”If a son strike his father, his hands shall be hewn off.”
Civilization is the cooperation between individuals within a region. The first civilizations were Mesopotamian and Egyptian civilizations. Both civilizations acquired a different environment. However, their environment promoted religion, specifically polytheism. Although their environments were different, both civilizations were in harmony about the existence of many gods.
The Code of Hammurabi was written by King Hammurabi and were the first set of laws to ever be created. Hammurabi created 282 laws, that set standards in his empire and in ancient Mesopotamia. Hammurabi made it clear that the laws were not only to equalize society but also establish fairness and also protect the weak from the strong. However, according to the laws, the punishment for men, women, rich, and the poor, were all different; leading that he made the laws unfair. The women of Mesopotamia had a series of laws where it clearly shows they were classified as property.
Hammurabi's code and the modern laws have several similarities and differences. For example, they are both intended to maintain order in society. However, Hammurabi’s code is far more violent than modern law. Also, they have different ways of handling things, different punishments, and different social structure. One way that Hammurabi’s Code and the Modern Laws are different is because Hammurabi’s Code is strictly based on social structure.
Laws are always the core of a society and they often indicate a variety of lifestyle decisions made by those people. Hammurabi’s famous set of laws and Moses’ laws could be viewed as two completely distinct documents, yet both set of laws aide historians in revealing insight to the Hebrew and Mesopotamian people. In both societies, enforcing strict consequences that are equivalent to the crime is common. Hammurabi’s well known law states that, “if a man has put out an eye of a free man, they shall put out his eye.” Whereas, in the Hebrew laws, it states, “...if any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, eye for eye...”
Many punishments involved death, which created more protection throughout the empire due to Hammurabi’s Code. The laws revolved around every aspect of society, including marriage, adoption, and commercial matters. These very specific laws were made so that nobody was taken advantage of and everything occurred swiftly during transactions. Also, the laws set out the nature of the relationship between Hammurabi, the gods, and the people being ruled (Jarus, 2017). The gods took part in Hammurabi’s Code because Hammurabi believed that the gods sent him to rule.
